Irish castle steeped in history & future stories

It’s reckoned that Ireland has about 30,000 castles in varying states of ruin and repair. Just north of Dublin, Malahide Castle is among the more intact, its well-preserved condition helped by the fact that it was home to generations of one family for almost 800 years before the Irish state took it over in 1975. As well as being a banquet and events space, the castle, with its Gothic-looking towers, enchants visitors on guided tours and you can also enjoy walks, cricket matches and concerts on the estate, which covers almost 100ha of mostly lush green parkland by the seaside village of Malahide, where, back in AD795, the Vikings found a suitable harbour to shelter. In the late 12th century, the Anglo-Normans sailed over from England, with Richard de Talbot, a knight and pal of King Henry II, awarded land and the harbour at Malahide. The estate’s centrepiece, the castle was expanded over the centuries and stayed in the Talbots’ hands throughout, apart from a brief period from 1649 to 1660, when Oliver Cromwell invaded Ireland and granted Malahide to his follower, Miles Corbet (who was subsequently hanged in London following Cromwell’s demise). Leading us around the castle today is guide Brendan, who touches on the history, significant former residents and architectural mish-mash. In the Oak Room, we peruse dark timber walls etched with biblical carvings, antique wooden furniture and a fireplace adorned with Egyptian motifs, which commemorate the Talbots who died fighting in the Battle of the Nile, a 1798 clash between British and French naval forces. Treading the Irish oak floors of the neighbouring rooms and lounges, which are being restored by a couple of local female artisans, Brendan points up at the ceiling stucco plasterwork woven with grapes and pineapples — exotic fruits in Ireland once upon a time and signs of prosperity. Hung on the blood-orange-hued walls are portraits of Talbot family members, including Milo, who would be the last lord. A Cambridge University graduate, diplomat, traveller, and avid botanist, Milo died in 1973 while cruising around the Greek islands and as he was unmarried with no children, the estate was passed on to his sister Rose. But the high death duties forced her to sell up and she went to live in another Malahide — a village in northern Tasmania, where the Talbots also had land. Brendan tells us that Milo was fascinated by rare Tasmanian plants and trees, even commissioning a six-volume book about them, and Tasmanian flora flourishes alongside other plants from the southern hemisphere in the castle’s botanical garden (entry to which is included with a combined ticket that also comprises admission to the on-site Butterfly House as well as a 45-minute castle tour). Dating from 1450, the castle’s Great Hall is another striking woody space and has welcomed notable figures down the years, including former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher. We tread a winding wooden staircase upstairs to the bedrooms, where one in particular catches our gaze. It has Victorian toys and dollhouses, with a doll on the four-poster bed resembling something from a chilling horror movie. “If you look at her long enough her head will turn,” jokes Brendan, who explains that this castle is probably haunted. A framed newspaper cutting on the wall has a story of an “Unknown Lady in White”, one of the ghosts said to wander through the property. On another wall, there’s a sketch of Irish politicians from the 18th century. Featuring one of the Talbots, it also stars a certain Sir James Bond (a member of the Irish parliament and the baronet son of James Bond, a reverend from County Longford). “So James Bond was an Irishman, after all,” says Brendan, with a smile, before we bid him farewell and enjoy another of the castle’s attractions: a hosted Irish whiskey-tasting experience. Malahide offers a range of other entertainment, especially during the northern spring and summer when the vast castle grounds draw big crowds. Take That, Shania Twain and Nicki Minaj will be among the musicians headlining concerts here in 2024 and there’s a production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The estate is also home to Ireland’s largest cricket venue (11,500 capacity), with international matches occasionally staged. Whether you’re into history, nature, music, drama and sport, or perhaps a mix of all, Malahide is a tempting diversion from Dublin, just 30 minutes by road and even quicker on the DART train. + Steve McKenna was a guest of Tourism Ireland. They have not influenced or seen this story.